If you’re a cat fan, a lover of metal, aSoulslikefanatic, or any combination of the three, Kristala should be well and truly on your radar. It’s a game, described as a “Sekiro-like” that features a feline protagonist and a bunch of well-known death metal vocalists as voice actors.
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However, the metal vocalists provide more than voices within the game; instead, they help to set Kristala’s tone throughout the player’s adventure.
A Cutesy Adventure Game About A Cat No More
Kristala had humble beginnings as a “cutesy adventure game about a cat”, developer Astral Clocktower’s founder, Alexis Brutman, toldGame Rantin a recent interview; however, it evolved into a cat/Soulslikehybrid based on Brutmans disposition for the genre.
By incorporating cats, or Anagativa as they’re known in the game, Astral Clocktower was able to iterate on the Soulslike formula, focusing particularly on stealth mechanics. Players can “swing on branches, leap, vault, climb, and perform surprise attacks pouncing enemies from above”, something which isn’t a mainstay within the beloved genre.
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Being a big Metalhead herself, Brutman told Game Rant that “it just makes sense” to use metal vocalists as voice actors in a game like this. While Kristala will feature more traditional voice actors, the thought of using deathcore artists to make guttural boss sounds and various creature noises was a “no-brainer”.
The title will feature acting by some of the biggest names in the deathcore genre, including Paxton Grizzle of Brojob, Will Ramos from Lorna Shore and Kasey Karlsen of Deadands.
The title will feature acting by some of the biggest names in the deathcore genre, including Paxton Grizzle of Brojob, Will Ramos from Lorna Shore and Kasey Karlsen of Deadands, who voice a fish boss named Lophi the Lost and the game’s many undead, respectively.
The concern for Brutman, which turned out to be totally unfounded, was that a game focused so heavily on cats would be difficult to attract such esteemed voice talent. However, Brutman was surprised at “how many metalheads are also cat people.” When approaching the artists, instead of recoiling at the opportunity, the typical response was more along the lines of “Oh my god, this is amazing, I love cats so much,” with Ramos from Lorna Shore particularly up for the gig, given his penchant for felines.
Kristala will launch in early access soon, before its full release in late 2025.
